Washington, D.C. – In response to today’s cloture motion to proceed on the first of three nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Counselor to CAP and CAP Action President Tom Perriello issued the following statement:

Today’s Senate action to proceed toward a confirmation vote for Patricia Millett is an important first step to ensure that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals—often considered our nation’s second most important court—is running at full strength. It is now up to Senate Republicans to decide whether they will continue their shutdown tactics or allow Ms. Millett and President Obama’s two other qualified D.C. Circuit Court nominees—Nina Pillard and Judge Robert Wilkins—to have simple yes-or-no votes in the Senate.

President Obama has a constitutional duty to fill this vital court, and the Senate obstructionists must stop playing politics with the basic foundations of law and order. Americans should not be fooled by partisan spin regarding D.C. Circuit court vacancies. A Republican filibuster on these nominees is simply another example of the right’s political playbook of obstruction at the expense of the American people. All three nominees to the D.C. Circuit deserve simple yes-or-no votes, not delay and unwarranted filibuster.